QBCade said:

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Turned into a French weekend

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How is it? I have a couple of bottles of that vintage.

BSD said:

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QBCade said:

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Turned into a French weekend

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How is it? I have a couple of bottles of that vintage.

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It's ready. Very, very good. Classic. Very soft, more earthy, licorice, little spice.

aggiesed8r said:

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So how do you know as a consumer who doctors their wine?

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Depending upon your definition of "doctor" most all do.

Penfold's has stated publicly they will do whatever it takes to get Grange to taste like they want it to.

Consider this, we tout great vineyards, but we also tout great winemakers. Just what is it a winemaker does that makes them a "great" winemaker? Ultimately it means they create wine that we like. But how do they do that? If winemaking is science more than art, why would one winemaker be better than another (given the same grapes to start)? The approximately a jillion decisions a winemaker must make to create their wine. Some of those decisions are considered "manipulation" by some people and not by others. For example, some "natural" winemakers tout the use of native yeast instead of cultured yeasts, and couch that decision in being more noble (i.e. legitimate). Most winemakers consider yeast choice (there are hundreds, that can enhance certain flavors, eat bacteria or myriad other purposes) one of the fundamental decisions. Everything in a wine can be adjusted, from pH to tannins. It's the skill an palate of the winemaker that decides.

I can't find the paper, but several years ago a French researcher created a gigantic flow chart of all the decisions a winemaker must make from the vineyard to the bottle. About 2% of those decisions involved the vineyard and the grape. That being said, you can't make great wine from mediocre grapes, but you can improve the wine made from those grapes. And you can definitely take great grapes and craft mediocre wine.

Look at it this way if you wanted to start a wine label, the choice of winemaker may be the most important choice.

Oh, and Caymus went to about 8 g/L of surgar, maybe more, and their popularity soared.

In the sea of Potts and Maybachs posts, I submit my meager Penfolds but it was a beautiful day on the patio down in Knox Henderson. Happy Memorial Day my friends.

Isn't there supposed to be wine in the photo?

(In case my humor is misunderstood, this is a Rule #1 comment, not a wine quality comment)

In celebration of Sunday steak night and my son turning a month old

Rule 1 + wine! Well played!

Remembering all who've sacrificed for us this Memorial Day.

QBCade said:

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Brother, you definitely know how to live.

Celebrating BSD's 50th with some 75 Heitz Martha's and Macdonald 2010 and 2011 …96 d'yquem for dessert

WestUAg said:

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Celebrating BSD's 50th with some 75 Heitz Martha's and Macdonald 2010 and 2011 …96 d'yquem for dessert

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Sweet! How was the '75 Heitz?

Happy Bday BSD!!

75 heitz was epic as usual

Tuesday night wine in Amsterdam.

QBCade said:

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Sweet! How was the '75 Heitz?

Happy Bday BSD!!

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Thanks, Cade! The '75 Heitz was a great surprise. I loved it. Still plenty of fruit and it had all those old wine characteristics. Just a great wine. Thanks, West U for the treat!

WestUAg said:

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Celebrating BSD's 50th with some 75 Heitz Martha's and Macdonald 2010 and 2011 …96 d'yquem for dessert

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really cool on many levels

Love seeing all the various wines y'all are enjoying.

2000 Lynch Bages with steaks, green beans, and potatoes tonight! Absolutely delicious on the initial pour.

Had a 1993 Domaine Huet Sec the other night that was lightly oxidized and absolutely delicious. Incredible a dry white lasted that long. Great acidity and the bright fruit had turned into this caramelized sweet fruit taste.

Objective Aggie said:

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In the sea of Potts and Maybachs posts, I submit my meager Penfolds but it was a beautiful day on the patio down in Knox Henderson. Happy Memorial Day my friends.

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Toulouse?

We had dinner at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London Friday night, and they did a great job on the pairings. The Saumur Champigny was phenomenal, and this was my first time trying a Champenois Solera wine.

There's a Jacob Franklin 2021 Morisoli Zin on Wine Spies today for $26. I haven't had it but I would pay $26 for anything Jacob Franklin if you're interested in trying it. (now watch this one suck)

A few pre-official 50th birthday wines down in Mexico:

(Not pictured 2015 Maybach)

2005 Leoville Las Cases
2005 Pontet Canet



2017 SQN Tectumque (38% Roussanne, 31% Petit Manseng, 18% Chardonnay, 9% Viognier, & 4% Muscat)
2010 Pott Actaeon Quixote Vineyard cab sauv magnum

BSD said:

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A few pre-official 50th birthday wines down in Mexico:

(Not pictured 2015 Maybach)

2005 Leoville Las Cases
2005 Pontet Canet



2017 SQN Tectumque (38% Roussanne, 31% Petit Manseng, 18% Chardonnay, 9% Viognier, & 4% Muscat)
2010 Pott Actaeon Quixote Vineyard cab sauv magnum

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How to was the Leoville?

Had 2004 Las Cases just Friday. Very good, subtle next to 2003 Pichon Baron. Lots of life left.

QBCade said:

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How to was the Leoville?

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Elegant and balanced. Still a bit youthful but taking in some secondary characteristics. I enjoyed it. Las Cases is a favorite of mine.

FriendlyAg said:

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Objective Aggie said:

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In the sea of Potts and Maybachs posts, I submit my meager Penfolds but it was a beautiful day on the patio down in Knox Henderson. Happy Memorial Day my friends.

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Toulouse?

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indeed

FriendlyAg said:

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2000 Lynch Bages with steaks, green beans, and potatoes tonight! Absolutely delicious on the initial pour.

Had a 1993 Domaine Huet Sec the other night that was lightly oxidized and absolutely delicious. Incredible a dry white lasted that long. Great acidity and the bright fruit had turned into this caramelized sweet fruit taste.

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Domaine Huet may be the most underrated domaine in France. Just great products, year after year, and still not expensive

No idea they were using Petit Manseng in any of their wines, pretty interesting

50th birthday wine.

Very nice. Happy birthday!

One more before we head home… 2013 Scarecrow

edit: Imgur can't get right

BSD said:

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One more before we head home… 2013 Scarecrow

edit: Imgur can't get right

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Happy Bday!

Nice tasting last night, unfortunately something was wrong with the Lokoya. Tasted like vanilla and plum, very sweet.

I can't compete with that lineup, but shoutout to our own Cecil77 with tonight's wine.

New year. In perfect shape, could go longer. Black fruit, cigar, spice. Yummy